[A brief history of diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism.].

Primary aldosteronism is a clinical syndrome characterized by hypokalemia, suppressed activities of plasma renin and high urinary and plasma aldosterone levels in hypertensive patients. It was first defined and reported by Jerome W. Conn in 1955. From 1960s to early 1970s, its techniques of diagnosis and treatment were greatly improved by the availability of spironolactone, realization of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and progress in laboratory tests and adrenal venous sampling. In 1970s, notwithstanding the extensive application of modern imaging modalities, such as CT scanning, adrenal venous sampling and steroid analysis have remained to be the most accurate and reliable localization method. From 1980s, more and more patients with primary aldosteronism were screened out from the hypertensive population by plasma renin activity/plasma aldosterone concentration ratio and cured by surgical interventions; laparoscopic unilateral adrenalectomy has become the generally accepted golden standard of operation.